A practical quick staining method using hydrochloric acid-fast metachromatic dye for megakaryocytes

A specific sain using violet polymethine dye (VPM stain) for megakaryocytes was first developed by Kass (1995). We have modified this method for pract ical use in bone marrow specimens. The modified VPM stain labels megakaryoc ytes very well, while other marrow cells are poorly colorized. This stainin g procedure was more stable, and its color intensity was finer and clearer than the original. Using this stain, morphologic classification of megakary ocytes in bone marrow specimens from 11 normal and 8 myelodysplastic syndro me (MDS) patients was performed. Many megakaryocytes observed in MDS patien ts a ere juvenile compared with normal subjects according to their morpholo gy. Blasts hom acute megakaryoblastic leukemia (M7) and from a megakaryobla stic cell line (Mo7e) were also clearly stained with our method. This stain ing method is practical and very useful for rapid identification of megakar yocyte distribution and morphology.